Security appears no tighter than usual ... TSA personnel are swarming all over the place, but this is not out of the ordinary.

There is no unusual display of force from local law enforcement or the National Guard.

Detroit itself appears as cold and desolate as usual ... which, if you have never been here, is damn cold, and quite desolate. If you've ever wondered how a Neutron bomb would leave a city, walk Detroit at 6:00 on a February evening.

FYI, if you have yet to deal with the people of the TSA, they are a VAST improvement over the former system of security contractors. First, there are very, VERY many of them. If anyone wondered whether GBv2.0 favored boosting employment through fiscal policy, one must look no further than the TSA. Second, they are very diligent ... that picture on the ID damn well better be you, because they're looking. Third, they are, by and large, also VERY pleasant ... not a security check goes by without at least one "How are you today" or "Travel safe" or "Thanks for flying, have a good trip."

Of course, at first this all comes as a bit of a shock if you're used to the I - hate - my - job - why - are - you - bothering - me - I'd - rather - be - somewhere - else - what's - a - terrorist methods of the prior contractors. But it's easy to get used to, with one exception: one of the reasons TSA employees act the way they do is because many -- and I mean many -- of them are seniors. And these people take their job seriously, are pleasant, and clearly confer these values upon the younger employees around them. The only problem is that when it's time for a pat-down or a jaunt through your dirty knickers, you have the very strong impression that you're being felt-up or searched by your grandmother (or grandfather) ... which is an experience I've frankly not quite gotten used to (but think I can).